14.

Rachel had never felt as exhausted as she did at the moment, it had been the longest week of her life since Matthias had entered the world prematurely. Slowly as she recovered from the traumatic delivery she had gradually found herself getting her strength back, thanks to the support of her family and friends.

"Holy Broadway he's perfection," Kurt sang as he entered Rachel's hospital room, fresh from his first trip to the NICU.

Slowly Rachel made her way from the bed to the chair. "We decided to call him Matthias."

"Love it," Kurt sang

"Noah is already calling him Mattie though, and Diva is stuck on SpongeBob, poor boy is going to grow up with an identity complex," Rachel tiredly laughed.

"It's a perfect name," Kurt reassured her.

Rachel nodded. "It's Matthias Kurt, we named him after you because you've done so much for us Kurt. More than you will ever know."

"Really?" Kurt asked, his sky blue eyes tearing over.

"Really," Rachel nodded.

Kurt waved his hand in front of his face. "Now look what you've done. I'm going to have to go and face my adoring public with puffy red eyes."

"Sorry," Rachel apologised with a smile.

"No apologies needed," Kurt whispered as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

A gentle knock on the door broke the moment as Rachel inwardly sighed, she loved all of her friends she really did, but sometimes she just wanted a few minutes to herself.

"Come in," Rachel breathed.

"Do you want me to make them go away?" Kurt whispered into her ear.

Rachel shook her head as the two detectives she remembered from Eden's school entered, approaching her the female of the pair took the lead. "Mrs. Puckerman. Sorry to disturb you at a time like this but we need to speak to you about the kidnapping charges."

"Can this not wait?" Kurt asked.

"It's alright Kurt," Rachel reassured her friend.

Kurt stood up and moved protectively around to her side. "No it's not Rachel. You've been through enough, you don't need this."

"And if we could do it any other way we would," the detective assured her.

"Let's just get it over and done with," Rachel yawned, rubbing tiredly at her head.

Pulling a chair across the room the detective introduced herself. "I'm Detective Amber Davies, I'm a victim liaison officer that was assigned to this case. Now I know Eden has been back now for a week but this is a very complicated case, Miss. Fabray is claiming that as Eden's biological mother she never had her parental rights terminated-"

"Noah couldn't locate her, he tried everything we have the paperwork and legal documents to prove it. When no-on could find her, a family court agreed to terminate her parental rights and awarded Noah full custody, he is legally her guardian," Rachel explained.

Detective Davies nodded. "I understand that, but the DA is still reluctant to proceed with issuing charges. She doesn't feel that there is a strong enough case, Eden was returned in under twenty-four hours, the victim impact-"

"Is that her son is fighting for his life thanks to the stress caused by that selfish, immature, excuse for a mother," Kurt ranted.

"There is no way that we can prove that Miss. Fabray's actions led to any of this, the matter at hand is the abduction of Eden-"

Rachel held up her hand. "Just get to the point. Please."

"Miss Fabray's legal council is requesting a mediation session, before the DA makes a decision they want you, you're husband and Miss. Fabray to sit down and try and work through the situation," the detective explained.

"Are you serious?" Kurt squeaked.

Rachel shook her head. "Why come to me with this and not Noah?"

"Because it's you that Miss. Fabray would like to speak too, she is asking to speak to you alone before she takes any more legal advice," Detective Davies replied.

"No," Rachel insisted.

Kurt nodded his head in agreement. "Are you crazy? You seriously think that Rachel would consider it? After everything that woman has put this family through the only thing she needs to do is stay as far away as possible."

"Kurt-"

"No Rachel, you might think that you need to do this for Eden but you don't," Kurt insisted, her voice rising with each word.

Rachel shook her head. "Maybe we need to talk."

"No because she doesn't want to talk, she wants your forgiveness, she knows that you are one million times a better person than she will ever be. She wants you to tell her that it's alright, that you understand why she did what she did and that you forgive her," Kurt explained.

"I-"

"I know how her mind works," Kurt spat, mad that Rachel would even consider falling into her trap, he needed to stick up for his friend, her emotions and hormones were all over the place now, leaving her vulnerable to Quinn's tactics.

Rachel was beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed by the situation. "Maybe I could just hear her out?"

"She just wants you to let her know that what she did was excusable, she wants you to absolve her of any blame so that she doesn't have to feel guilty," Kurt sighed, desperate to protect his friend.

She could see where Kurt was coming from but a part of Rachel wanted to hear Quinn out, ever since she had returned into their lives the two woman hadn't really had a chance to talk. Perhaps if they did then they could stop Eden getting hurt any further. After all they were both mothers, surely that had to count for something.

"Ok," Rachel agreed. "But on my terms."

"Of course," the detective agreed.

"But it can't happen right now, I have a son fighting for his life in NICU and I need to go and be with him, I'll contact you when I've spoken to my husband," Rachel informed them.

The detective nodded and handed her a card. "Take care Mrs. Puckerman. And give my best wishes to your family."

Once they were alone together in the room Kurt sat down on the chair that the detective had just vacated. "You know Puck isn't going to be happy about this."

"He'll understand," Rachel reassured her friend.

"The last time I spoke to him he said if he never heard from Quinn Fabray again it would be too soon," Kurt said, replaying a conversation he had with Puck yesterday.

Leaning back against the headrest of the chair Rachel closed her eyes. "I need to do this Kurt. I need to know that my family is safe, Noah will understand that."

"If you want me to come with you then all you have to do is ask," Kurt offered with a smile, knowing that Rachel needed him with her instead of against her on this.

"Which is exactly why I named my son after you," Rachel added with a whisper, her eyes fluttering shut.

Kurt watched as her eyes closed, like two dark circles on a pale canvas. "I should head to the theatre, give you a chance to sleep."

"Don't forget that Brittany and Santana are taking Eden to see the play tonight," Rachel reminded her, his eyes still closed.

"I have a seat and bouquet of flowers reserved for my favourite leading lady," Kurt reassured her with a smile, stunned that she managed to stay so on top of things even with everything she was going through.

Carefully pushing herself to her feet Rachel made her way over to the bed, lying down she found herself staring at the picture that sat on her bedside table. It was the very first Polaroid that has been taken of Matthias, with a picture of Eden that was taken at her fifth birthday party slotted in next to it.

Picking the picture up Rachel held it close, needing to feel that even though they weren't physically with her that her children were never far away. Tucking it in close to her she closed her eyes and fell into a fitful slumber.

It was in that position that Puck found her a few hours later, after dropping Eden off at the mall, and giving Brittany strict instructions that there was to be no more than two sugar loaded items, no ear piercing and no mini-makeover he had headed straight to the hospital to be with his wife.

Juggling his time between trying to keep things as normal as possible for Eden, and being at the hospital for Rachel and Matthias was one of the hardest times of Puck's life. He felt like he was never going to be enough for what they needed.

Leaning down he smiled as he caught sight of the picture in her arms, gently kissing her on the cheek he then sat down in the comfy chair and closed his eyes, allowing himself a few minutes sleep.

Opening her eyes Rachel smiled as she spotted Puck sleeping in the chair next to her bed, pulling on his sleeve she called out to him. "Noah."

"Not now Rach … too tired," Puck mumbled in his sleep.

Smiling Rachel licked her lips. "Noah," she called out again.

"Hey," Noah smiled, opening his eyes as he found himself looking straight into her chocolate brown orbs.

"I've missed you," Rachel yawned.

Puck ran his hand through her hair. "Go back to sleep, and then when you wake up we can go and see SpongeBob."

"I miss having you next to me," Rachel whispered.

"Well that I can fix," Puck smiled as he climbed up onto the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

Rachel relaxed into him. "Mm."

"Am I hurting you?" Puck asked suddenly panicked.

"Never," Rachel reassured him. "This is exactly what I need, being here with you, knowing that my children are safe."

Puck kissed her gently on the back of the head. "We're going to get through this Rach."

"I know, which reminds me, two detectives came to see me today, apparently Quinn wants to speak to me, woman-to-woman," Rachel informed him.

"I hope you didn't agree," Puck spat, his blood pressure increasing at the mere mention of her name.

Rachel turned so that she was facing him. "I need to do this Noah. I need her to know what she's done to our family, what she's done to Eden."

"You don't have to do this," Puck insisted. "I can do it, I can speak to her and your father said that he can get a restraining order. No one expects you to give her anything here Rach, not after everything she's done.

Rachel nodded. "I know. But if we're going to get through this it's something I need to do. I need you to understand that."

"I do. I'm just worried Rach, you've been through so much what with the horrible morning sickness, the worry over the genetic testing, Quinn's return, her taking Eden and then being ill and SpongeBob coming early … I just … I need to protect you," Puck told her.

"You're amazing," Rachel reassured him.

Puck took in her still too pale face and sighed. "You're still recovering, you can barely walk ten steps without having to sit down and you're still not sleeping properly. I don't want anything to happen that might cause a setback."

"Which is why I won't do it until I'm ready. But I need to do this Noah," Rachel assured him.

Running his hand through her hair Puck nodded. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Rachel echoed, her eyes fluttering shut.

"Sleep," Puck whispered into her ear as he felt her breathing relax as she fell into a calm sleep for the first time all week. Wrapping his arms around her Puck too closed his eyes, allowing himself to get some proper sleep for the first time in a week. Safe in the knowledge that Rachel was safe in his arms, Eden was being cared for by their Glee family and his son was just a few floors below in the safety of his cocoon; the nickname that Rachel and Eden had given his incubator.